Waroona Community Men’s Shed gives back with Foodbank voucher donation to Waroona Family Support Services

The surprise windfall of a Waroona community group has been used to support another organisation’s efforts to assist vulnerable people.

There were plenty of smiles on Wednesday as the Waroona Communuity Men’s Shed handed over $900 worth of Foodbank vouchers to Waroona Family Support Services.

Shed member Judy Chalmers said the vouchers came about after the organisation became a referral agency for the food hunger charity.

“When I first sent in the (application) forms, there was a survey they wanted done and they liked my responses, so they rang me up and said that we’d won,” she said.

Rather than using the vouchers for their members, president George Blakey said the shed determined Family Support Services was in a better position to distribute the much-needed assistance within the community.

“Most of the guys in the shed don’t need the vouchers probably as much as some of the younger couples and disadvantaged people might do around town,” he said.

Mr Blakey noted how proud shed members were to be able to give back to the community.

“It gives the guys all a sense of achievement when something like this happens,” he said.

Waroona Family Support Services is run through the Waroona Community Resource Centre and supports clients from Pinjarra in the north to Harvey in the south.

Centre manager Stuart Macdonald said the organisation was “incredibly happy” with the donation.

“The relationship we have with the Men’s Shed is outstanding and it’s very generous for them to hand over the vouchers,” he said.

“It’s amazing that two community organisations can support the community in this way.”

Recipients of the donated vouchers will be able to use them to buy food through Foodbank WA, including through the mobile van which visits the Waroona Community Resource Centre every Wednesday or centres in Mandurah and Bunbury.